By Bobby Mathews, sports editor
SPRINGVILLE — Gutting out a 24-21 victory over a hungry Pell City program taught the Springville Tigers a lesson on Friday night.
The Tigers (4-3, 2-2) won on the road, and they successfully closed out a game that could have gone the other way. Forcing a punt and driving the ball down the field to the three-yard line to kick a field goal as time expired was a major, major sign that the Tigers may have turned a corner on this season. That’s why Springville is The Tribune’s Team of the Week.
“The kids found a way to win, to just get it done,” said Tigers head coach Jon Clements. “As a coaching staff, we’ve been waiting to see when that was going to happen.”
It wasn’t easy. Springville fell into a 14-0 hole and clawed back for the victory.
“Ashton Frye had a great game for us,” Clements said. “He ran the ball well and threw when he needed to. I think overall, as a team, we finally had that moment when the preparation that the kids do from Monday through Thursday showed up on Friday.”
“I am so proud of this team,” Clements said. “These kids have had to trust people that they didn’t know, and if you know teenagers at all, you know that’s sometimes very difficult. I feel like the game we’re about to play is going to have huge implications for us and where we go as a team. I’m really, really proud of our coaching staff and the kids. These kids are doing everything we ask them to do.”
Fans around the area are taking notice, too. On the road in Pell City, the Tiger faithful had a huge presence that mad a difference in the outcome of the game.
“The people of Springiville have really gotten behind our team, and our kids have noticed that,” Clements said. “This is a tough bunch of kids. They’ve got some grit in their neck.”
Two weeks prior, the Tigers turned the ball over four times in a 13-6 loss to Southside Gadsden; against Pell City, the defense forced two turnovers and the offense protected the ball on their way to the win.
The Tribune’s Team of the Week is sponsored by Courtesy GMC.